Grandmaster Ruslan Ponomariov uncorked Nf3 on the fifth move against Grandmaster Hikaru Nakamura’s King’s Indian Defense and went on to win the first game of their international match Tuesday at the Saint Louis Chess Club and Scholastic Center.

“This is what happens when you take three and a half months off classical chess,” Nakamura said during post-game comments with International Master John Donaldson and Women’s Grandmaster Jen Shahade.

In the other game, Grandmaster Ray Robson won on the black side against Grandmaster Ben Finegold, the club’s resident GM. Finegold played 2.c3, the Alapin, or closed Sicilian.

Nakamura said he knew he would “get something tactical” from Ponomariov, who played 13. g4. Donaldson said the young Ukrainian also usually plays 5. f3, the Saemisch variation against the King’s Indian. Nakamura said his Nf6 on move 21 was a major mistake.

“Just about everything wins here for white,” he said.

The former world champion then traded his knight on b3 for Nakamura’s knight on d4. After Nakamura recaptured with his e pawn, Ponomariov got the e5 pawn push. Nakamura had to give up his knight for two pawns because of the pin of his pawn on d4.

Nakamura resigned after Ponomariov’s 93rd move as the young Ukrainian was weaving the knight/bishop mate.

Ponomariov said his move 49. Bd5 was a mistake, saying he is still fighting jet lag. Nakamura said he had technical drawing chances in the end game if he could have exchanged his dark-squared bishop for Ponomariov’s knight.

The Finegold-Robson game ended with mate on the board.

“At time control, I thought maybe it’s a draw,” Finegold said.

However, after 42. d5, the St. Louis grandmaster said he was losing.

Robson said he didn’t look at any lines against the closed Sicilian “and not even e4 a lot.”

The young grandmaster said he thought he was winning after 43. Bc5.
Live commentary by IM John Donaldson and WGM Jennifer Shahade can be found at livestream.com/uschess. Rounds and commentary are open to club members, and memberships start at just $5/month for students or $12/month for adults.
Fully Annotated Games by IM John Donaldson:

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.Nf3
The text is a sign that Ruslan and his second Ivan Salgado Lopez have prepared some surprises for this match as the last year Ponomariov played the Saemisch 5.f3 extensively.5...0-0 6.Be2 e5 7.0-0 Nc6 8.d5 Ne7 9.Ne1
Previous to this game when reaching this position Ruslan played 9.b4 9...Nd7 10.Be3 f5 11.f3 f4 12.Bf2 g5 13.g4

13.Nd3 preparing c4-c5 is more commonly seen. The text aims to stop Black's kingside play with ...g4.13...h5 14.h3Rf6 15.Kg2 Rh6 16.Nd3
White aims for an immediate c5. 16.Rh1 Ng6 17.Nd3 Bf8 18.b4 Nf6 19.c5 =, Doettling-Uhlmann,Schwerin 1999.16...c517.dxc6 Nxc6
17...bxc6 was also quite interesting but Hikaru characteristically prefers to create dynamic imbalances in the position.18.c5 dxc519.Nxc5 Nd4
After thegame Hikaru suggested19...Nxc5 20.Qxd8+ Nxd8 21.Bxc5 Bf8 although better for White was tenable.20.Bc4+?!
Hikaru thought this was strong but Ruslan believed it a waste of time preferring the immediate [20.Nb3] 20...Kh721.Nb3 Nf6?
The key position in the game. 21...Nb6 was critical here and the two contestants had diametrically opposed opinions of its worth. After the game Hikaru dismissed it on account of 22.Bd5?? (22.Be2 RP) 22...Nxd5 (22...hxg423.hxg4 Bxg4! 24.fxg4 f3+! 25.Kg3 Qf6 26.Be3 Rh3+ 27.Kxh3 Qh6+ 28.Kg3 Qh4# -Ponomariov.) 23.exd5 with a latter Qd3+ and Ne4 promising White a strategically winning position. 22.Nxd4 exd4 23.e5!

Ray is trying to open up a second front.
39.Qf3 hxg3+
39...Qf1 40.Qg2 Qe2 was an interesting alternative. 40.fxg3 Qc2+ 41.Kh1
41.Qg2 should have been given strong consideration as the bishop ending is less clear-cut after the trade of Black's h pawn for White's f pawn. Interestingly after the game while Ben was pessimistic about his chances at this point Ray was not at all certain he was winning. 41...g5
Creating airfor his king.42.d5
Ben might have played 42.Kg1 trying to hold by sitting still.42...e543.Qg4?
43.h4!? was the last chance. The text is an understandable attempt to get counterplay but Black's king proves to be quite safe.43...Bc5!44.Be1
44.Qd7+ Kg645.Qe8+ Kg7 46.Qd7+ Kh6; 44.Qe6+ Kg744...Qd345.Kg2 Qxd5+ 46.Qf3 e4 47.Qe2 Qd4 48.h4 Qg1+ 49.Kh3 Qh1+ 50.Kg4 Kg6 51.h5+ Qxh5#